combining the concept of majlis to new technologies

• Electronic government (smart government) - use of electronic communication devices, computers, and the Internet to provide public services to citizens and other persons in a country/region.
• Most governments use electronic devices for administrative purposes, collecting data and delivering services within a short timeframe.
• The use of social media allows people, individually/groups, to interact with one another.
• Governments began to realize the potential of social media platforms to engage the public in conversations regarding supply of public services - known as eParticipation and UAE is a forerunner of this approach.
• UAE federal website has engaged multiple platforms like forums, blogs, chats, surveys, polls, and social media tools like FB, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube to reach to the public and engage in active communication with the government with regard to their opinions and experiences on government services, policies, etc.
• UAE Vision 2021 - "Emiratis will benefit from customer-focused government services whose quality is rigorously monitored and constantly improved. Interactive smart government will provide citizens with an especially responsive and efficient channel of services from public authorities."
• Mohammed bin Rashid Smart majlis - electronic platform allowing everyone to participate in building the future of Dubai. Encourages everyone to share ideas and create solutions to shape and improve life in Dubai.
• Teddy Bear hospital began as idea submitted to Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Majlis called "Create a class in school to treat sick toys."
• The Teddy Bear Hospital was carried out by Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) and launched Teddy Bear Hospital, programme designed to teach school children hands-on about medical procedures and to decrease preconceptions/fear of doctors.
• Young children bring teddy to Teddy Bear Hospital and teddies are treated, scanned and operated on. Owners are given feedback on teddies condition.
• European Union is a political and economic union of 27 European states with estimated 450 million population.
• Each member state in the EU has a national government which makes laws for individual state, but some laws are common and apply across the Union.
• European laws are proposed in the European Parliament or by Council of the EU.
• European citizens can propose a change in legislation by Citizens' Initiative - an invitation to the European Commission (non-legislative body) to propose legislation on matters like environment, agriculture, transport, or public health.
• Citizens' Initiative:

  -needs to be backed up by at least 1 million EU citizens coming at least 7 out of 27 member states.

  -Citizens committee should be forms of at least 7 EU citizens being resident in at least 7 different member states to launch an initiative.
• All EU citizens old enough to vote in European Parliament elections (18 except in Austria which is 16) can sign a citizen's initiative. To support an initiative, citizens should fill a specific statement of support form provided by organisers (paper/online)
• Citizens' initiative cannot be proposed by organizations but can be supported or promoted by them if they do so openly.
• Citizens' committe must register the initiative in the European Commissions' European Citizens' Initiative website before collecting statements of support. They have 1 year to gather signatures.
• Commission examines the proposal of the initiatives and meet organisers to discuss the details. If Commission decides to put forward a legislative proposal, it is submitted to the Council and if adopted, becomes law.
• Sheikh Mohammed directed that representatives of teachers, doctors, nurses, students and parents take part in the next Cabinet retreat, designed to convey opinions on ideas and initiatives to be discussed by the Cabinet.
• THe Cabinet's extraordinary session drew overwhelming popular participation through 65,000 public feedback, ideas and suggestions from SM platforms and Prime Minister's website
• Cabinet's talks based on results of national brainstorming initiative took place over 2 days;

  day 1: examined ideas to develop education sector,

  day 2: tacked issue of developing health care sector.